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There's been a lot written on HF about that. With a structural ridgeline, the hammock is going to be no flatter for making the ridgeline tighter. It just makes the ridgeline, you know, tighter.

I do the opposite, hanging the hammock loose and low initially. I raise the hammock by tightening the suspension through the rings, until the ridgeline just becomes tight. Then I adjust the height of each end of the hammock (I like it slightly head-end low) by moving the huggers up or down on the trees.

I find that when I suspend the hammock this way, it tends to stay where I put it, so there is no need to sit in it, then adjust again.

Good input. Thanks. I have often thought I am not getting the best comfort or most natural position in the hammock due to how tight I have the suspension. That's one reason I has ZQ pull out the velcro. That, and I don't use the bottom entrance anymore.

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. Kinda weird, though--I've been reading this forum for almost a year and I feel like I know you all pretty well already!

Anyway, thanks, Javaman, for that description. Makes a lot of sense. I think, though, for your technique to work for me I'd need to move the rings onto the hammock suspension rope, instead of the treehuggers they are currently mounted on, but maybe I wouldn't need to do that--I have a pretty long reach. I went that way mainly to have as much adjustability as possible. I also tried to pull a bight through the rings, but the line twisted as I pulled and the kinks that formed would not go through the rings no matter what I did.

I'll have to hang it again and try it out. Won't get to do that again until Saturday, though.

The rope does twist around sometimes. That's why I don't always pull that bight all the way through. I'll get it most of the way pulled through and then just open up the rings and take it out.

Try it out and see if it works any better for you. Let us know what you learn!

Ok, I'll play with the hang a bit. I'm sure that will make a big difference. I may have been expecting a bit too much from this system, though it is indeed a very nice system...

I just got back from Harbor Freight with some ratchet straps that will be soon cannibalized for the webbing, and while I was there I noticed the "Big" Figure 9's. I had no idea that they came that "Big." 300 pound capacity--now THAT might hold me. I picked up a couple, and might experiment with that as well. There would be no difficulty undoing that suspension, that's for sure. But, I would not be able to keep everything together as one piece.

Thanks again, everyone, for your time.

--Scott <><

"I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

Ok, I'll play with the hang a bit. I'm sure that will make a big difference. I may have been expecting a bit too much from this system, though it is indeed a very nice system...

I just got back from Harbor Freight with some ratchet straps that will be soon cannibalized for the webbing, and while I was there I noticed the "Big" Figure 9's. I had no idea that they came that "Big." 300 pound capacity--now THAT might hold me. I picked up a couple, and might experiment with that as well. There would be no difficulty undoing that suspension, that's for sure. But, I would not be able to keep everything together as one piece.

Thanks again, everyone, for your time.

Be careful! I used those big Figure-9's exactly ONE (1) time and had to send my hammock back to Hennessey to have the ropes replaces. The teeth chewed right through my main suspension ropes. That's how I came to the garda hitch with rings. There are plenty of big threads here on modifying the figure-9's to not have teeth, but it became easier for me to just do the garda hitch.

Wow, that's good to know, thanks for the heads-up. I did read the Figure 9 thread--well, most of it--and I saw all the modifications. FWIW, what I picture is attaching the ring to the HH suspension rope, and using another line of some kind from the tree hugger to the "teeth." I was going to experiment with it, but I'm really hoping to get the rings/garda hitch working for me. I may consider going with webbing to the rings, however. That sounds easier to remove.

So . . . what line would be good for me to use with the Garda hitch? I would attach the rings to the hammock support, and run the line from the huggers to the rings. I'm 250 lbs, BTW. Any suggestions? I've seen lots of names thrown around, but I'm not sure what would be best. Would there be a good line to use with the fig. 9? A good one that would work for either?

Thanks!

--Scott <><

"I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

Wow, that's good to know, thanks for the heads-up. I did read the Figure 9 thread--well, most of it--and I saw all the modifications. FWIW, what I picture is attaching the ring to the HH suspension rope, and using another line of some kind from the tree hugger to the "teeth." I was going to experiment with it, but I'm really hoping to get the rings/garda hitch working for me. I may consider going with webbing to the rings, however. That sounds easier to remove.

So . . . what line would be good for me to use with the Garda hitch? I would attach the rings to the hammock support, and run the line from the huggers to the rings. I'm 250 lbs, BTW. Any suggestions? I've seen lots of names thrown around, but I'm not sure what would be best. Would there be a good line to use with the fig. 9? A good one that would work for either?

Thanks!

I have not tested any other suspension ropes than those that came with my HH. I tried webbing but it was heavier and bulkier for me. I know there are some threads about different suspension ropes . . .some about amsteel blue. Try a broad search for that or maybe another member will chime in. Also check the JRB site, and the Speer site for some other ideas.

Wow, that's good to know, thanks for the heads-up. I did read the Figure 9 thread--well, most of it--and I saw all the modifications. FWIW, what I picture is attaching the ring to the HH suspension rope, and using another line of some kind from the tree hugger to the "teeth." I was going to experiment with it, but I'm really hoping to get the rings/garda hitch working for me. I may consider going with webbing to the rings, however. That sounds easier to remove.

So . . . what line would be good for me to use with the Garda hitch? I would attach the rings to the hammock support, and run the line from the huggers to the rings. I'm 250 lbs, BTW. Any suggestions? I've seen lots of names thrown around, but I'm not sure what would be best. Would there be a good line to use with the fig. 9? A good one that would work for either?

Thanks!

I've tried unsheathed woven cord (Vectran 12 and Amsteel Blue) through the garda hitch. In both cases the pinching of the rings flattens the cord. Really flattens it. I don't like the looks of it when applied in the same spot time after time (back yard hang), although I don't know that it necessarily weakens the cord. So I use instead a sheathed core cord---Spyderline---in the 3.8mm diameter size. It is heavier than the woven braids I listed, but does not appear to be damaged by the pinching.

Cool--thanks for the replies. I'll probably check into the spyderline. Maybe it would be easier to deal with.

I got a chance to hang the hammock again last night, and tried different configurations, and different techniques. The Hennessey cord is definitely hard to undo, even before sitting in the hammock, with any bit of tension at all, and I just can't figure out the knack for loosening with one hand while I pull on the hammock with the other. The main frustration is the lack of the ability to easily readjust the position of the hammock while setting up.

I also tried using the Harbor Freight webbing from tree to rings (rings attached to hammock support line with anchor hitch) and this seemed much simpler, and easier to release, though still harder to undo than the hammock cord. I tried pulling the webbing 90 deg. and still couldn't release it easily, but it was definitely easier. I haven't weighed the different systems, but that webbing seems pretty light weight.

Anyway, I really appreciate the help, everyone. What a great forum!

--Scott <><

"I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver

Hey folks, new guy here. Thought I would bump this thread as I would like to use this supension method as my main setup.

Are folks still using this setup? Is this ring setup better than running the webbing through the rings, in terms of slippage? Does the rope slip at all in the rings?

Thanks all.

brief hammock bio: A month ago I bought a Byer Amazonas at REI to camp with after my last trip where I got like 6 hours of sleep over two nights sleeping on the ground....I like the hammock, the fabric is nice and comfy. Immediately started looking into how to stay warm/dry, and then entered the DIY world by just making some simple whipped end hammocks out of 1.9 oz. ripstop. Have made two hammocks so far, the kids can't get enough of them.

Much thanks to Just Jeff and Risk, their webpages are stuffed with great info.